Summertime Thunderstorms
by MkSC77
Summary: Chapter 2: The Flynns celebrate the 4th of July.
1. Summertime Thunderstorms

**Park City, July 2019. Sharon hasn't had any kind of heart issue—I can't validate that absurd storyline, sorry. She's just healthy and happy, as it should've been. I apologize for the awkward beginning—a smoother start just wasn't coming to me :)**

**Kate-Sharon's sister**

**Claire-Sharon's niece's daughter**

**Beth-Sharon's sister-in-law**

**James-Sharon's brother-in-law**

**William-Sharon's brother**

**Bill and Marie-Sharon's parents**

"I've got to get out of the house. Anyone want to take a quick jet ski ride?" Kate asked.

"I do," Sharon quickly volunteered. She'd been thinking the same thing.

"You guys stay close to the house," Bill advised. "There's some bad weather coming in, and you know how quickly a bad storm can brew here."

"We will," Sharon agreed, instead of responding with an eye roll and an indignant "I know, I'm a grownup," like any of her kids would've done. She didn't let her annoyance show, knowing she would've given her adult children the same instruction. It wasn't that hot outside, so they stayed in their shorts and t-shirts and made their way down to the water. Once their life vests were buckled and the jet ski was unhooked, they discarded their flip-flops on the dock and climbed on.

Kate drove through a couple of nearby coves before slowing to a stop. "Here, we can trade. I know you're dying to drive."

"Thanks. I pulled Emily and Claire on the tube for a little bit this morning, but I had to go slowly. Claire still has a couple of years before I can be as ruthless with her as I was with our kids." Sharon moved her left leg to the right side and carefully maneuvered herself around Kate, who was leaning to the left and sliding herself to the back in a technique they'd perfected over the years. The temperature had dropped to the familiar pre-thunderstorm chill since they'd come outside, and Sharon released a contented sigh as she picked up speed and felt the cool air blowing against her face.

A few minutes later, Sharon heard a low rumble of thunder, so she turned back toward the house. By the time they got back and tied the jet ski back up, heavy rain was cascading down. Sharon and Kate peered up at the sky. "We're just going to have to run for it, this isn't going to let up anytime soon," Kate said.

"Yeah, you're right," Sharon agreed. She didn't know why they bothered to run, as they were both soaked within seconds of leaving the protection of the covered dock. They could hear hearty laughter coming from the porch by the time they crossed the walkway over the water and reached the first of a few flights of steps leading up to the house.

"Is there a single person in this family who's _not_ an asshole?" Kate muttered.

When they got to the porch, they were met with several amused looks as they squeezed all of the excess water they could out of their clothes and hair. "I'm in charge of dinner tomorrow night, and I'm taking notes of who's laughing," Kate warned. She jumped as a loud clap of thunder echoed through the mountains. "Come on, Sharon, there are some beach towels in the dryer."

Once they were inside, Andy remembered that he'd gotten the towels out and folded them, so he grabbed one he knew was in Sharon's bag on the porch and followed them inside.

"I don't have a single drop of estrogen in my body, and I'm _still_ cold," Kate commented as she peeled her sopping wet t-shirt over her head.

Sharon shivered as the air conditioner hit her wet clothes and skin and opened the dryer. "Same here…oh, no, I forgot Andy got these out and folded them earlier."

Andy tapped on the closed laundry room door. "Sorry, guys, I forgot I moved the towels. I have one right here, and I'll go grab another one."

Sharon cracked open the door and took the towel. "Thanks, honey." She handed the towel to Kate, who was already mostly undressed. "You can take that one, I'll wait for Andy." She stripped down to her bra and panties and opened the washing machine. "Give me your clothes, and I'll just put them in the wash."

"Thanks." Kate finished undressing and wrapped the towel around herself. "I think it's about time for a glass of wine, you want some?"

"Sure." By the time Sharon was completely undressed and had the washing machine humming, Andy was coming in with a towel for her. He paused for a moment to look her over, clearly enjoying the effects the cold rain had on her body. Sharon rolled her eyes. "Enjoying the view?"

"Oh yeah. You could've owned a wet t-shirt contest, no problem. But, next time you guys decide to take a pre-storm joyride, I'm gonna need for you to take off your bra first."

"Andy!" Sharon shook her head in amusement. It was rather entertaining how little it took to get him going.

"Come here." Andy held the towel open as Sharon stepped toward him and wrapped it around her. He rubbed her back through the towel and kissed her forehead. "Need anything else?"

"No, I'm just going to change and come back to the porch." Sharon went to their bedroom, dried herself off, and changed into leggings and one of Andy's LAPD t-shirts. Her hair was wet and tangled, so she worked a hairbrush through it and braided it.

Sharon stepped out to the porch and took her glass of wine from Kate before curling up beside Andy in his chair. "Feel a little better?" He murmured.

"Much." Sharon sipped her wine and lay on his shoulder, enjoying his warmth and the sound of the pouring rain and clapping thunder. The breeze had picked up, and she could smell the charcoal from the grill as it heated up. She loved the smell of charcoal, and she breathed deeply and gazed out at the mountains. Andy rested his chin on top of her head and idly stroked his fingers back and forth over her hair, barely aware he was doing it. Sharon could've easily fallen asleep, but she sat up when Beth came outside with a drowsy-looking, ten-month-old Marie in her arms. The baby grinned and reached down for Sharon. "Hey, precious," Sharon cooed.

Emily peered at the monitor beside her. "Thanks, Aunt Beth. I didn't even hear her."

"I peeked in at her, and she was just starting to wake up. I probably didn't give her any time to make noise," Beth answered as she passed Marie to Sharon.

Andy held his hand to Marie's cheek and kissed the side of her head. "Her eyes seem to get more green every day. Girl. You are going to look _just_ like your Gammy."

"Hey, Marie, ask Gammy for her legs and boobs while she's handing stuff out," Emily spoke up. "She skipped right over me."

Sharon shrugged. "Don't look at me, that's your Aunt Kate's fault." She shifted against Andy with Marie nuzzled into her shoulder and rubbed her back. She loved holding her when she was still sleepy after a nap. Emmett and Emily had found a house and moved out a few months before, and Sharon missed seeing Marie every day.

A little while later, William came outside, dressed in rain gear, with a platter of the first round of steaks and chicken for the grill. The part of the outside porch with the grill was covered, but it was so windy that he still would've gotten wet otherwise. "Andy, don't let me forget to add your fish. It won't take as long as the other meat."

Andy nodded. "Thanks."

A few hours later, after eating dinner and sitting on the porch for a while, Sharon stood up and reached for Andy's hand. "You ready for bed?" Another storm was brewing, and she knew just how she wanted to spend it.

"I was hoping this was what was on your mind," Andy admitted when Sharon stepped out of the bathroom in a soft, rose-colored chemise. "I've been thinking about it since I saw you in your soaked clothes earlier. That was foreplay in itself."

Sharon rolled her eyes. "When are you _not_ thinking about it?"

Andy shrugged. "Fair point."

Later that night, Sharon woke up to a loud crash of thunder. A streak of lightning illuminated the room, and she could hear the wind howling outside. Andy hadn't so much as flinched. After years of motherhood in general, not to mention the months she'd feared for Rusty's life, it didn't take much to wake her up in the middle of the night, but Andy could easily sleep through World War Three. The faint sound of the TV drifted from the living room, so she padded down the hall and found her dad and Kate watching the weather. "What's going on?"

"This storm looks pretty bad. We should probably go downstairs," Bill answered. There was a bedroom, bathroom, and a small sitting room in the basement.

"I'll go upstairs and get everyone up, if you guys want to handle the rest," Kate volunteered.

Sharon looked out the window. The porch light was on, and she could see the tree branches waving in the heavy wind. "All right, I'll get Andy, James, and Emily and Emmett. I apologize in advance for my boys, they don't take too kindly to being woken up."

"Just like their mother," Bill pointed out.

Kate grinned. "Don't worry, I can handle their whiny asses."

Sharon went back down the hall and gently shook Andy's shoulder. "Andy!" She hissed.

"Whaaaaat," Andy grumbled. "I know I'm irresistible, but—"

"As tempting as that is, you need to get up. This storm is terrible, and Dad thinks we need to go downstairs."

"Hmmm—oh." Andy jumped up and pulled some sweatpants on over his boxers and found a t-shirt. "Damn, I haven't heard wind like that in a long time. I'll go get the boys—"

"Kate's getting them, and I'll go wake Emily and Emmett. Help my dad find some flashlights and make sure he and Mom get downstairs okay, please. I'm surprised we still have power." Sharon went across the hall and had a similar conversation with Emily and Emmett. "I'll get Marie, and you guys grab whatever you need and come on downstairs." Sharon felt around the pack'n play for Marie's pacifier before carefully lifting her out and holding her to her shoulder. She stirred, but Sharon patted her back and bounced her a little before she felt heavier against her shoulder. She could hear Ricky and Rusty bitching above the noise of the others coming downstairs, and James had woken up himself from all of the commotion, so she carefully made her way down the stairs.

"Did you _have_ to send Aunt Kate to wake us up?" Rusty complained as everyone got settled. "She enjoyed that a _little_ too much."

Sharon ruffled his hair. "Sorry, honey."

"Don't listen to them, I was nice about it," Kate insisted.

Ricky snorted. "How is turning the light on and yelling, 'Get your asses up, bitches,' _nice_?"

William and Beth had the downstairs bedroom, and the noise drew Beth out to the sitting area. "What's going on….Never mind." Even in the cave of the basement, they could hear a loud thud as a tree seemed to have fallen somewhere.

Sharon turned to Andy. "You mind taking Marie? I need to go to the bathroom."

"Sure." Andy gently took the baby and settled her against his shoulder, smiling as she sighed and buried her face into his neck.

Sharon noticed her mom's sweeping gaze over the room, probably triple-checking that her entire brood was accounted for. "We're all here, Mom. Don't worry."

The next morning, Sharon was up before 8:00, despite the middle-of-the-night excitement. They'd stayed in the basement for about an hour and a half before coming back upstairs. She heard movement from Emily's and Emmett's room when she walked by and figured Marie was awake, so she stuck her head in the door. Emmett was lifting Marie out of the pack'n play. "I'll take her, Emmett. Go back to bed."

"Thanks, Sharon."

Sharon got a diaper and some wipes and carried Marie to the kitchen to warm up a bottle. Her parents and William were in the kitchen. William had always been an early riser, just like their dad. Marie's face broke into a grin when she spotted Bill. Shocking no one, he had been spoiling her all week. "Hold on, baby girl, let me warm your bottle, and you have a soggy little bottom. You can go to Granddad after I change you."

"I'll change her," the older Marie spoke up. "Once your dad gets a hold of her, no one else will have a chance for a while."

"Thanks, Mom." Sharon passed Marie to her and put a cup of water in the microwave. Bill handed her a cup of coffee and pulled her into his arms. "Morning, darling."

Sharon wrapped her arms around him and rested against his shoulder for a few moments. "Morning, Dad."

Sharon got one of Marie's bottles out of the refrigerator and added a little bit of whole milk. Emily was slowly transitioning Marie from breast milk and hoped to have her completely on regular milk soon after she was a year old. So far, it wasn't going so well. Bill had taken Marie out to the porch by the time the bottle was warm, so Sharon took it outside and sat beside her dad in the swing.

"She knows there's something else in this milk," Bill commented as he gave Marie the bottle. She'd made a face, but she was too hungry not to take it.

Sharon nodded. "She looks at us like we're conspiring against her when we give her a bottle now. Emily still nurses a good bit, but she's about ready to give it up." She got up and looked out over the yard. There were some limbs down in the yard and over the steps leading down to the lake, but that was about it. They'd lost power soon after they'd gone downstairs the night before, but it was back on now. A house a few down from them had had a tree fall into the porch, and a couple of the surrounding yards had a bit more damage, in general. They'd been lucky. She sipped her coffee as she looked over the lake. It was still cloudy, and fog was drifting over the mountains and glassy water.

Sharon smiled when she felt Andy's arms around her. He kissed her cheek and rested his chin on her shoulder. "How's it looking?"

"Not too terrible for us, but this was a bad one. I haven't seen a storm like this here since Emily and Ricky were teenagers."

Andy gave her a gentle squeeze before backing away. "Some of the others are starting to get up. I'm going to go start the first round of breakfast."

"Sounds good." Sharon turned around to give him a proper kiss. "I love you."

"Back atcha, babe."


	2. Chapter 2

**Kate: Sharon's sister**

**Maggie: Sharon's niece**

**Emmett: Emily's husband**

**Carter: Sharon's nephew's son (~20 months old)**

**Claire: Sharon's niece's daughter (~4)**

**Lauren: Sharon's niece**

**Emmett—Emily's husband**

**I didn't plan to add another chapter to this story, but I decided at the last minute that I wanted to do a little 4th of July one-shot, so I just added it to this one. Better late than never :) This was a little rushed, sorry about that.**

**July 4, 2019**

Sharon felt a tiny hand tugging at the hem of her t-shirt. She knew without looking down that it was Marie. "Hold on, baby girl, let Gammy finish this pasta salad." Sharon added Italian dressing and parmesan cheese to the large bowl of angel hair pasta, tomatoes, cucumbers, onions, and green peppers in front of her and tossed it until the ingredients were well-mixed. After doing the same to the smaller bowl beside it, minus the onions and peppers for Rusty, Ricky, and a couple of her nieces, she put both bowls in the refrigerator and picked Marie up. The ten-month-old was adorable in her red, white, and blue striped swimsuit, and the scent of sunscreen was evident from her soft skin.

Emily held her arms out for the baby. "I'll take her, Mom. Go get dressed."

Sharon handed the baby over and went to her and Andy's room to put on her own swimsuit. Andy was already dressed and was rubbing sunscreen into his face. He handed her the tube of sunscreen when he saw her coming in. "Mind getting my back?"

"Sure." Sharon squeezed some of the lotion into her palm and softly ran her hands over his back. She changed into her swimsuit as Andy put a t-shirt on and added a couple of clean beach towels to their bag. Once she'd applied as much sunscreen as she could by herself, Andy took the tube from her to put it on her back. He moved her hair to one side and rubbed the lotion into her skin between her neck and the top of her swimsuit. With that taken care of, she pulled her cover-up over her head and slipped into a pair of sandals. "It would've been fine for you to go play golf with the others, you know."

Andy shrugged. "I heard some damsels in distress needed a captain."

Sharon gave him a disbelieving look as she tied her hair up. "Yeah. I'll remember that when we come back, and I have to dock the boat for you."

"I can do it...You just, uh, do it faster," Andy mumbled.

Sharon snorted. "Uh-huh. There's some chipped paint on the side of the boat that suggests otherwise."

A little while later, they were cruising down the lake. It wasn't even eighty degrees yet, and the warm sunshine felt wonderful. The pleasant warmth and low hum of the boat was about to put Sharon to sleep, and she looked down at Marie in her lap and saw that it had already done the same to her.

"Here, Mom, I'll go sit in the back with her in the shade," Emily said.

Andy held his arms out for her. "You can give her to me."

Sharon gently transferred Marie to Andy's arms and moved back toward the front of the boat.

By lunchtime, Claire and Carter were getting restless, and Marie had just woken up and wasn't too happy, either, so they went back to the house. As they neared the dock, Andy got up so Sharon could sit down. "This is _so_ embarrassing," Andy muttered.

"Hey. You have good aim where it counts," Sharon whispered into his ear before she sat down. She didn't have to look over at him to know he had a shit-eating grin on his face.

After a quick lunch, they went back down to the dock and got on floats in the lake. Sharon wondered what Marie would think of the cold water, but she splashed around in her little float and didn't start getting fussy until it was time for a nap. Emily lazily reached over to the dock to tap her phone and see what time it was. "I'm going to take her up to the house and put her down—"

"Wait, I'll take her," Sharon and Andy volunteered at the same time. Sharon had been about to doze off on her float, herself, but she scrambled up the ladder on the side of the dock before Andy could react.

Emily gave Marie a look. "Sounds like Gammy and Papa are looking for excuses to take a nap." She got Marie out of her float and lifted her up to Sharon. "Either way, Mommy's not complaining...Hey, Mom, will you hand me a beer?"

"Make that two, please," Maggie added from her float.

"Ugh, I _hate_ you guys," Lauren moaned, as she was five months pregnant.

Sharon tossed each of them a bottle and wrapped a towel around Marie. Andy got out of the water and placed Sharon's cover-up in her bag. "I'll bring your things."

Sharon shook her head. "I'm coming right back when Marie wakes up, I'll just leave them here."

"Oh, well, I'll just, uh, come help you with her," Andy sputtered, fooling no one.

"Awww, night-night, Andy," Maggie called from the water.

"Sweet dreams," Emily added.

When they got up to the house, Sharon gave Marie to Andy. "Mind running her a bath while I shower off and change? Just put some soap in with the running water and rinse the lake water off of her."

"Sure." Barely a few seconds had passed before Andy felt sudden warmth against him in contrast to the cold water from the baby's swimsuit. "Ewww, I think she just peed on me! How is that possible?"

Sharon giggled. "It's those swim diapers, they don't really hold pee."

Andy looked down at Marie. "You couldn't have done that just a few seconds ago when Gammy had you? I think you planned that."

Sharon shrugged. "I've taught her well."

Several minutes later, Sharon was showered off and had changed into pajama pants and a t-shirt. Andy came in with Marie, wearing just a diaper and rubbing her eyes. Sharon held her hands out to her. "Come here, sweet girl." She took her from Andy, switched on the fan beside their bed, and climbed under the covers, tired herself from the sun and being in the lake. Not to mention from her brother finding it necessary to run the vacuum at 6:00 that morning. She tucked the baby in beside her and patted her back until she started to drift off.

Andy stepped out of his swimsuit and draped it over the rack in their bathroom. "I'm going to take a quick shower, and I'm right behind you."

In the five minutes it took for Andy to take a shower and put on a clean pair of boxers, Sharon and Marie were both passed out. Sharon usually at least stirred a little bit if she hadn't been sleeping long when the mattress dipped from Andy getting in bed, but she didn't move. The whirring of the fan and the baby curled into her side had put her in a coma, and he wasn't far from it, either.

Sharon woke up when Marie started cooing and moving around beside her. She looked at the clock on her nightstand and saw that they'd been sleeping for almost two hours. "Well, hey, precious. Somebody took a long nap!" Marie grinned and pointed at Andy. He was snoring, and his mouth was hanging open. "We'll let Papa sleep for a few more minutes. You know he has to have his beauty rest, and I know Mimi has plenty of popsicles in the freezer."

Andy had started to come to when Sharon and Marie were waking up, and by the time they were out of bed, he was completely awake. He put on a dry swimsuit and t-shirt and found them in the kitchen.

With Andy watching the baby, Sharon changed into another swimsuit and got a swim diaper and dry swimsuit for Marie. She hated having to reapply sunscreen, but she hated the thought of being sunburned or having lake water and sunscreen in her bed even more. Once they were ready again, Sharon and Andy took Marie back down to the dock. Marie bounced against Andy's hip and pointed at the water, wanting to get back in, so Andy put her back in her float and lowered her into the water as Emily maneuvered her float closer to the dock to get her. Rusty was approaching the dock on the jet ski, and the first thing Sharon noticed was that he was missing a necessary object over his t-shirt. "Russell Thomas Beck, _where_ is your life vest?" She demanded.

"Relax, Mom, I didn't even get out of the cove without it. My t-shirt made me forget about it, but I realized I wasn't wearing one and came back."

Sharon gave him a disapproving look as she tossed him a life vest from a chest on the dock. "Do _not_ let it happen again, young man." Once he'd driven off, she poked through the cooler for one of the peach-flavored beers Emmett had introduced her to. Most flavored beers were too sweet, but this kind was perfect for her taste.

Sharon left her opened beer on the dock long enough to dive into the lake and get situated on a float. Andy played music from Sharon's phone before jumping in, himself. He wasn't a huge fan of the cold water, but it was too clear and beautiful to resist on a sunny day. He couldn't sit still for very long, either. He swam around for a few minutes before holding on to the back of Sharon's float as they drifted around the water. Sharon sipped her beer, enjoying the warm sunshine and singing along to the music.

"_You're sweet as a honeybee,_

_But like a honeybee stings,_

_You've gone and left my heart in pain_

_All you left is our favorite song,_

_The one we danced to all night long_

_It used to bring sweet memories_

_Of a tender love that used to be_

_Now it's the same old song,_

_But with a different meaning_

_Since you've been gone_..."

A couple of hours later, it was almost dinnertime, so Sharon and Andy pulled themselves out of the water to go back to the house for showers and to help get dinner ready. In the true fashion of twenty/thirty-something year old children, the others were staying in the water until "the grown-ups" had dinner ready.

Once everyone had eaten and the kitchen was clean, the entire group went down to the dock and climbed the stairs to the upper deck. The fireworks still wouldn't start for another hour, but the weather was too pleasant not to sit outside as the sun started its descent behind the mountains and enjoy the twilight. The fireworks would take place not far from the dock, and boats of people who had to venture from their houses to see them were already starting to come out. Sharon and Andy hadn't been lying in the hammock for two seconds before a song playing from the speaker had Andy standing up and pulling her out of the hammock to dance.

_When you snap your finger, or wink your eye,_

_I come runnin' to you_

_I'm tied to your apron strings_

_And there's nothin' that I can do_

_Sugar pie honey bunch_

_I'm weaker than a man should be_

_I can't help myself_

_I'm a fool in love, you see_

Kate wrinkled her nose. "Are they _always_ that nauseating?"

Rusty rolled his eyes. "Try living with them. They'll test your gag reflex on a daily basis...Mine still works, in case anyone's keeping track."

The fireworks started a little while later, and Sharon nestled into Andy's shoulder in the hammock as the colorful lights illuminated the sky. Carter was screaming, and it was the first year that Claire _wasn't_ screaming. Marie didn't know what to think, alternating from clapping and laughing to crying to just looking bewildered. Fireworks were loud enough, but the mountains made them echo even more loudly, and trying to put the kids to bed would've been pointless.

"Andy, _stop_," Sharon hissed when he started kissing her. "My dad is right there!"

"Sharon, please. You have two kids, and you're over sixty. I think he's accepted the fact that you kiss your husband. No one's even paying attention to us."

"I'd still rather not do it right in front of him—hmmm." Andy had found the sensitive spot on her neck that never failed to shut her right up before moving back to her lips. This went on intermittently until the fireworks were over, and neither noticed that the noise and lights had stopped until someone, Ricky or Rusty, if they had to guess, heaved a disgusted sigh and dropped a blanket on top of them, enclosing them in darkness. The distraction of the fireworks and the darkness of nightfall had provided a sense of false security. Sharon felt a brief pang of...guilt, or something, hell, she didn't know. But she also knew they'd get the hell over it. Who could blame her for not being able to keep her hands off of Andy, anyway?

**I know some of you don't like the idea of Sharon spending time with her family for some reason—you don't have to tell me over and over again, I heard you (saw?) the first hundred times :)**

**Hope y'all liked it, thanks for reading!**


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